Judge Orders White House to Use ASL Interpreters, Sparking Controversy and Resistance
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction mandating the White House to immediately provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation during press briefings when the President or Press Secretary are speaking. This ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and two deaf men, alleging the White House’s failure to provide ASL violates the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. The judge rejected the White House’s arguments that closed captioning alone constitutes a reasonable accommodation, emphasizing the importance of ASL for deaf individuals. The order, however, does not yet extend to events led by the Vice President, First Lady, or on all White House media.
John Q. Hosedrinker